Blues Improvisation Using Guide Tones: Select Page

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Blues Improvisation Using Guide

Tones
by Andrew Scrivens | Mar 11, 2018 | Learn To Improvise | 0 comments
Improvisation is one of the most exciting aspects of playing music

and is a direct manifestation of our desire to create, express
ourselves, and jam with other musicians. Learning to improvise and
expand one’s improvisational skills are among the most common
goals guitar students aspire to achieve. It is important to bear in
mind that improvisation involves the assimilation of the stylistic
elements of a particular musical genre. For example, if we compare
the improvisational style of a Rock guitarist with that of a Flamenco
guitarist, it is clear that their solos consist of quite contrasting
musical vocabulary. Inflections in rhythms and feel, note choice,
techniques, melodies, scales, and length of a solo are all
idiosyncratic of the musical genres and contexts one is improvising
within.
Guide Tones in The Key of A
In this lesson, we focus on the 12-bar blues and use it to develop
our ability to improvise only using guide tones, i.e. the third and
seventh of each chord. By targeting these specific notes, we build
our ability to ‘hear’ the sound of the blues progression.
Simultaneously, we internalize the order and duration of each
chord, which is a fundamental step in the process of memorizing
any chord sequence. The basic 12-bar blues progression in the key
of A has the following layout:
All chords contained in this example share the same harmonic

structure, which consists of:
Root – Major 3rd – Fifth – Minor 7th
Let’s find out the major third and minor seventh for the respective
chords in the blues progression by following two simple rules. The
major third is four semitones (or two tones) higher than the root of
its chord. The minor seventh is two semitones below the root. This
method allows us to identify all the guide tones we need to start
improvising:
C# and G for A7;

F# and C for D7; and
G# and D for E7.
The following score and tablature show one of the many possible
variations of playing guide tones through the blues progression. On
closer examination, it is important to notice that:
All the notes are played on the G and D strings of the guitar and
follow the same fingering layout;
When we advance from one chord to the next, the guide tones
only shift by one or two frets thus giving the progression
continuity and logic;
As the chords are moving at a faster pace in the last four bars,
the rhythm of the guide tones changes from whole notes to half
notes.
It is advisable to practice this exercise with a backing track in order

to hear the sound of each guide tone over the blues progression.
Many possible variations can be derived from this effective and

valuable method. It is advisable to experiment with different
rhythms and work on a set position in the fretboard or pairs of
strings until this approach is internalized. At that point, the
exploration of other areas of the instrument should be quite
intuitive. After a few attempts, it will be evident that guide tones are
always close to each other and follow repetitive patterns throughout
the guitar. Use the fretboard diagrams below to navigate areas of
the guitar you are not familiar with yet.
Note that the hollowed circles next to the D and G strings are guide
tones options as well.
Experiment and have fun!
Andrea Vocaturo
Jazz/Blues Guitar Teacher

Andrea Vocaturo is an associate teacher in Brisbane who
specializes in unlocking the secrets of understanding the guitar, its
unique geometry and how music theory can be understood by
anyone. He also likes to bring the jazz guitarist’s skillset into rock
and popular genres. When he’s not playing or teaching, you’ll
probably find him playing tennis or taking his dog Kiko for long
walks around Hamilton.
www.andreavocaturo.com
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Blues Improvisation Using Guide

Improvisation is one of the most exciting aspects of playing music

All chords contained in this example share the same harmonic

Root – Major 3rd – Fifth – Minor 7th

C# and G for A7;

It is advisable to practice this exercise with a backing track in order

Many possible variations can be derived from this effective and

Jazz/Blues Guitar Teacher

HOW To Learn Guitar

Blues Improvisation Using Guide Tones

Common Questions from People Learning The Guitar

Part 5 – Pentatonic Scales

Part 4 – Transitioning Between Thinking Major and Minor

Andrew Scrivens Guitar Lessons |

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